Armies and hosts of Middle-earth warfare
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth much of the history of the three ages of his legendarium are concerned with wars and the battles and armies of those wars. Armies of Middle-earth, hierarchy and organization The charts below show the general hierarchicalThe hierarchy of a host over armies over legions is not unique to Tolkien's writings but is used elsewhere with the understanding of that hierarchy. For example, the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica entry for Lucuis Lucinius Lucullus shows its use: "In the spring of 69, at the head of only two legions, he (Lucullus) marched through Sophene, the south-western portion of Armenia, crossed the Tigris, and pushed on to the newly-built royal city, Tigranocerta, situated on one of the affluents of that river. A motley host, made up out of the tribes bordering on the Black Sea and the Caspian, hovered round his small army, but failed to hinder him from laying siege to the town. Lucullus showed consummate military capacity, contriving to maintain the siege and at the same time to give battle to the enemy's vastly superior forces." Lucullus' small army of two legions is outnumbered by a host. Similarly, in the entry for Karnal: "It was here that Ibrahim Lodi and his vast host were defeated (at the Battle of Panipat (1526) ) in 1526 by the veteran army of Baber... ", the historical estimates for Lodi's vast host are 40,000-100,000 and Baber's army are 15,0000-25,000. terms used by Tolkien to describe military formations and organization, and how these relate to specific or estimated strengths in battles throughout the history of Middle-earth. These terms, with host indicating military forces larger than an army and the others indicating forces smaller than an army, are used with a remarkable general consistency over the time of Tolkien's writings from 1917–1972, as well as an in-universe consistency over the three ages of Middle-earth. There are certainly times when some of these words: host, army, company, band are used outside of this context. For example: host can refer to the whole of a people which includes males, females and children, not just the warriors, or "the war-high",J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, History of Middle-earth, Vol. II, (1984), p.70. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, History of Middle-earth, Vol. X, (1993), p.115, "But the hosts... all these great companies, both of the full-grown and war-high and many others...". to use Tolkien's own phrase. At times, army can mean a singular fighting force of no set size, as can company, or host. Within the context of most battle, or war, descriptions these terms are generally consistent throughout the canon.Mythlore, Number 62, Volume 16, No.4, ISSN: 0146-9339, Loback, T.. Orc Hosts, Armies and Legions, A Demographic Study, 1990, p.12, "At this point it will be helpful to show a plausible, overall order of battle, or Table of Organization to support these conclusions..." there follows a list of terms and estimates that generally coincides with those used here. The article is the second part of a two article study of Middle-earth demographics and the strength estimates as well as the organizational breakdowns shown here are drawn from it. More modern military terms such as battalion and regiment see occasional use, but are not widespread. While estimates of numbers can be often supported textually by simple extension of textually cited numbers, they are only estimates when there is not a specific number stated by Tolkien. However, it can be said with some certainty that a description of strength using the Names, such as: Name-''host'' (e.g. Great-host) as a number of the Name-''armies'' (e.g. Orc-armies), is supported textually across the board in the canon, as the selected, but by no means only, references demonstrate. It is important to consider the context in which these terms appear in the stories since, as a writer of fiction, Tolkien's primary purpose is to engage and entertain the reader while not being tied to a set terminology the way a military historian must be. Tolkien sometimes adopts just that historian stance going into great detail about tactical movements, weapons and formations as he does in The Battles of the Fords of Isen, or Cirion and Eorl.J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, Unfinished Tales, (1980) He can apply the same attention to detail to the drill of a shield-wall formation as to the intricacies of family relationships of the Sackville-Baggins. Orc-hosts, Orc-armies, Orc-legions, Auxiliaries and Allies Hosts and Armies of Elves, Men and Dwarves Armies and Hosts through the three ages of Middle-earth In the subsections that follow, the hierarchy and organization described above is shown and applied to an exemplar war from each of the three ages of Tolkien's fictional legendarium of Middle-earth. They demonstrate that there is little variation or change to the structure of Armies and Hosts through the fictional and literary history of Tolkien's Middle-earth canon. War of Wrath in the First Age .]] and Sauron's tower of Barad-dûr in Mordor, as depicted in the Peter Jackson films. It should also be noted that Sauron had been the chief lieutenant of Morgoth.Jackson's literal interpretation of the Eye of Sauron as Sauron's physical form is not found in Tolkien's text. The close proximity of Mount Doom and Barad-dûr is also non-canonical.]] At the end of the First Age, Morgoth is defeated in a final campaign called the War of Wrath by the host of the Valar made up of the Elves of Valinor led by Eönwë, the Herald of Manwë. This host of the Valar, or host of Valinor, is described as a host and contains the armiesJ.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, History of Middle-earth, Vol. V, (1987), p. 328, "march of the host...in his armies..."indicates that the host is made up of two or more armies. of Elven warriors of the Vanyar as well as those of the Noldor that remained behind in Aman. Ingwion, the son of the High-king of all Elves, Ingwë, leads the Vanyar and Finarfin, son of Finwë and king of the Noldor in Valinor, leads the Noldor. The size of the host of the Valar is ascertained by relative statements by Elrond, who was present, and a similar statement in The Silmarillion, Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age,J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The Silmarillion, (1977), p.293 in which it is described as the only host greater than that of the great host of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. As shown in the following section, the great host of the Last Alliance is composed of other hosts which are composed of armies. Since the host of the Valar is greater than the host of the Last Alliance, it too would be composed of hosts and there is evidence that this is so. In March of the Elves of Kôr''J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, ''The History of Middle-earth, Vol. II, p. 278 the encampment in the Land of Willows of the "first host" is noted indicating, at least, a second host. Furthermore, the outline suggests that this host is that of the Noldor, or Noldoli. At minimum, a host of Noldor and a host of Vanyar whose combined strength exceeds the great host of the Last Alliance which is estimated below at 105,000 to 140,000. , "I remember well the splendour of their banners ... It recalled to me the glory of the Elder Days and the hosts of Beleriand, so many great princes and captains were assembled. And yet not so many, nor so fair, as when Thangorodrim was broken...". Also: J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The Silmarillion, (1977), p. 293, "...none greater has been mustered since the host of the Valar went against Thangorodrim." It is possible to develop a general proportional picture of the host of the Valar. In Quendi and Eldar''J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, ''The History of Middle-earth, Vol. XI, p.381 and p.412. the proportions of the three original clans are given and adjusted for the divisions during the migration march from Middle-earth to Aman. The proportional factors given by Tolkien are: 14 for the Minyar (Vanyar) in Aman; 28 for the Tatyar (Noldor) in Aman; and 26 Nelyar (Sindar and Nandor) remaining in Middle-earth. It is told most of the Noldor return in the rebellion but that first a "tithe", or 10%, refuse to follow Fëanor and then later Finarfin with "many of his people" turned back.J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The Silmarillion, (1977), p.84, p.88 and that Fingolfin has the greater of the two hosts, including Finarfin and it remains greater than the Fëanorians even after Finarfin leaves and Helcaraxë is crossed. Further, it is stated that the Elves of Beleriand outnumber the returning Noldor so that the factor for the returning Noldor must be considerably less than the factor of 26 for the Sindar and Nandor. Finarfin needs a factor of at least 6 or 7 to allow a noticeable differenceJ.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The History of Middle-earth, Vol. XI, p. 25: "... though the Sindar were not numerous they much outnumbered the hosts of Fëanor and Fingolfin ..." between the Noldor and Sindar, or 19 or 20 Noldor to 26 Sindar.Mythlore, Number 51, Volume 14, No.1, Loback, T..The Kindreds, Houses and Population of the Elves During the First Age, 1987; Mythlore ISSN:0146-9339, p.38, gives the Sindar, at least, 20% more than the Noldor. This would leave 6 to 7 Noldor in Aman and 14 Vanyar, about 2 to 1. This suggests that the host of the Valar is composed of a host of Noldor and a host of Vanyar that is twice as large, or two hosts of Vanyar.J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The History of Middle-earth, Vol. IV, p.154, "the captain of their host was Fionwë son of Manwë. Beneath his banner his white banner marched also the host of the Quendi, the Light-elves, the folk of Ingwë..." i.e: the Vanyar. Also, Vol. V p.326; The Silmarillion, p.251, "... marched the Vanyar...". Mythlore, Number 51, Volume 14, No.1, The Kindreds, Houses and Population of the Elves During the First Age, 1987; ISSN:0146-9339, p. 37, chart shows a ratio of: 28 to 6, Vanyar to Noldor in Aman, 450 First Age. Having used the hierarchy established in the subsection of the War of the Last Alliance to show the structure of the forces in the War of Wrath, the numbers for these structures demonstrated in subsection The War of the Ring below can be applied and general estimates shown in the list for the Host of the Valar and the Hosts of Morgoth.J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The History of Middle-earth, Vol.V, (1987), Quenta Silmarillion, p.309 and J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The History of Middle-earth, Vol. XI, (1994), p. 73, both have similar statements that provide a basis for estimates of size of Morgoth's forces: Fingon's Host in the Fifth Battle annihilates Morgoth's first force in the west and the loss for that force is stated to be a "... greatest slaughter of Orcs was then made ... ". Taking this as accurate at face value and comparing it to Morgoth's losses in the Third Battle where he loses two hosts gives the vanguard force at the 5th greater than two hosts and this force is smaller than the "main force" which is eventually followed by the last strength of Angband put at another 100,000 Orcs. Host of the Valar: *Maiar – at least 1, Eönwë, in earlier accounts some Valar were present, in others the sons of the Valar. *Elves – 100,000–150,000, about two thirds are VanyarThis estimate represents the descriptions of this host as the greatest host of Elves, or Elves and Men in Middle-earth. There is a description of the host of Númenor led by Ar-Pharazôn against Sauron that states the Host of Númenor was the greatest of host ever to march in Middle-earth which presumably includes those of Sauron and Morgoth. And his invasion of Aman, "greatest armament that the world had seen". *Eagles and "all the great birds of heaven";J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The Silmarillion, (1977), p.252 "a myriad of birds";J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The History of Middle-earth, Vol. IV, p.160 a myriad can mean, literally, 10,000.Online Etymology Dictionary,myriad - 1555, from M.Fr. myriade, from L.L. myrias (gen. myriadis) "ten thousand," from Gk. myrias (gen. myriados) "ten thousand," from myrios "innumerable, countless," of unknown origin. Specific use is usually in translations from Gk. or Latin. Hosts of Morgoth: *Orc-hosts – 1,000,000 to 1,500,000prior to the War of Wrath, the largest force fielded by Morgoth is in the Nírnaeth Arnoediad, the Fifth Battle, that force can be estimated at least 300,000 from the texts and using the system outlined above, it is possible that an estimate for that force could be 500,000, or somewhat more. *Balrogs – around 1,000J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The History of Middle-earth, Vol. V, p.137, "...and a thousand Balrogs...".Morgoth's Ring, Section 2 (AAm*), p.75, "... a host of Balrogs ..."; p. 79, "... Balrogs were still ... when the Lord of the Rings had been completed...in very large numbers..."; p.80, margin note 50: "In the margin my father wrote: 'There should not be supposed more than say 3 or at most 7 ever existed.'" While the margin note is an interesting aspect of Tolkien's methodology of writing, as a margin note it is not definitive nor it does not change what is said in the canonical works Fall of Gondolin and Lost Road about the War of Wrath. The idea of large numbers of Balrogs lasted into post-LoTR publication writings C.T. dates text to 1958 and the margin note was ultimately never incorporated into any text. *Dragons – "the dragon-host"; "dreadful fleet";J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The History of Middle-earth, Vol.V, p.329 "fleet...a hundred thunders winged with steel", possibly indicates 100 winged dragons, "the dragon-horde" *Hosts of Easterling Men – 50,000–100,000J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The History of Middle-earth, Vol. XI, p. 60,"... hosts of Men out of the further East were journeying towards Beleriand..."; p.70, "... summoned yet more ... out of the East." These statements of the initial waves of the Easterling men are indicative of a vast migration. The War of the Last Alliance in the Second Age This war that ends the Second Age exemplifies the effect that Tolkien employs to create a grand panoramic distance from the event. However, he continues to use the same hierarchical organization and terms. This can be seen in the various descriptions of the Great Host of the Last Alliance.J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The Silmarillion, (1977), p. 293, "Therefore they made that League which is called the Last Alliance...gathering a great host of Elves and Men..." Sauron attacked Gondor in S.A. 3429. In response, Elendil, formed an alliance with Gil-galad. Over 2 years they gathered their armies.J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, History of Middle-earth Vol. V, (1987), Fall of Númenor, p.29, "...he (Elendil) made league with Gil-galad...And their armies were joined...the host of Beleriand..." Their great hostJ.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The Silmarillion, (1977), p. 293, describes this force as a 'great host' before it reaches Imladris, Rivendell, or crosses the mountains to join with the other forces in the east, indicating it is composed of more than two armies. Also, it is here described superlatively so: "none greater has been mustered..." since the War of Wrath. then marched to Rivendell.J.R.R. Tolkien Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King (2nd edition 1966). Appendix B, p.365. Then they went over the Misty Mountains and were joined by the army of the Dwarves of Moria.It is told that few Dwarves fought in the war upon either side, but that Durin's Folk fought on the side of the Alliance. The Silmarillion, in Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age The Alliance host crossed over the river Anduin meeting the armiesJ.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, Unfinished Tales, (1980), p.258, Oropher raises a "host" consisting of his "great army" and the "lesser army of Malgalad" as a part of the 'great host' of the Alliance. of the Silvan Elves of Lórien and Greenwood the Great in the host of Oropher.Unfinished Tales, p.258, "...the host of Silvan Elves..." The Last Alliance marched south down the east bank of Anduin and join the army of Gondor, finally meeting Sauron's forces before Mordor. It can be seen that the Host of the Alliance is made up of the great host of Gil-galad and Elendil: containing the armies of Elves of the Noldor of Forlindon and the Sindar of HarlindonJ.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, Unfinished Tales, (1980), p.252,"...the Elves of Harlindon...largely of Sindarin origin..." this would account for the additional army making it a great host and the army of the Men of Arnor and a company from Rivendell; and the host of Silvan Elves: containing the greater army of Greenwood and the army of Lórien; an army of Dwarves from Moria and the army of Men of Gondor. Altogether, this great host contains 7 armies. Using a median strength of 15,000 to 20,000 for each army taken from the chart above of Hosts and Armies of Elves, Men and Dwarves, then an estimated overall strength of the Great Host of the Alliance adds up to 105,000 to 140,000 and is smaller than the host of the Valinor in the War of Wrath as stated by Tolkien. The War of the Ring in the Third Age at the Battle of Pelennor Fields led by King Théoden]] In the War of the Ring, the Siege of Gondor and the Battle of Pelennor Fields are good examples of a mix of precise military detail and panoramic narrative. The catalogue of companies from the outlying provinces that come to Gondor's aid is numbered at less than 3000, with company sizes ranging from a stated 100 to 700 men in precise detail.J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, (2nd edition, 1966), pp.43-44 The numbers of the original garrison of Minas Tirith and the forward garrison of Osgiliath and Faramir's company of Ithilien are not specified. However, it is described panoramically that, following his defeat at Osgiliath, Faramir is outnumbered by ten times and that he loses one third of his men.J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King (2nd edition, 1966) p. 94 The muster of Rohan adds another 6,000 horsemen to the total of the defence of Minas Tirith.J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King (2nd edition, 1966) p.76 & p.106: "You have a score of scores counted ten times and five.". K.W.Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth, Boston, Houghton Mifflin Co., 1981, ISBN 0-395-28665-4 p.151 , Trolls, the Ringwraiths including other various races of Middle-earth.]] The sent allies were from the areas threatened by Corsairs of Umbar, and therefore were much less numerous than initially expected. Lossarnach, for example, only sent one tenth, and less than three thousands arrived in all. Assuming similar reduction in other forces spared by the allies, that would mean that around 20-30 thousands remained, along with those who may not have been expected to be spared anyway. A large number of those people were gathered by Aragorn and came to Pelennor on Umbar ships, turning the tide of battle by arriving where (and when) the allies of Minas Tirith were least expected. Slaves and captives were released as well, but it is unclear whether they were in good enough condition to fight (the rowers probably were, since the Pirates would have needed them in good working condition for the next few days), or whether arms could be found for them in time for departure. More still came later on their own ships, and 4,000 were sent by land. It is said that all the comers (and the remaining Rohirrim) were sufficient to more than replace the losses of the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, as well as the 7,000 going to the Morannon. There are no specific totals given for the forces of Mordor, but there are comparisons to stated numbers that imply totals within the panoramic narrative. When the army of the West comes to the Morannon it is less than 6,000 strong and is outnumbered "ten times and more than ten times"J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King (2nd edition, 1966), p. 167. by a "great host" out of the Morannon, Orcs from the hills flanking the Morannon, and an army of Easterlings, or some 60,000 to 75,000. This force is later called "hosts", indicating at least 2 hosts, each 30,000–40,000 strong. The Morgul-host,K.W.Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth, Boston, Houghton Mifflin Co., 1981, ISBN 0-395-28665-4 p.151, Fonstad gives an estimate of 45,000 for the Morgul-host, shown to be a very low estimate in Mythlore 'Orc Hosts, Armies and Legions', p. 15. led by the Witch-king, is described as the greatest army to "issue from that vale since Isildur, no host so fell and strong in arms...yet it was but one and not the greatest of the hosts that Mordor now sent forth..." and it has a "great cavalry of horsemen" in advance of it.J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King (2nd edition, 1966) p.315 At the Pelennor Fields, the Haradrim, consisting of footmen, horsemen and mûmakil, are said to "thrice" outnumber the 6,000 Riders of Rohan, a possibility that the army consists of more than 18,000.J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King (2nd edition, 1966) p.121 These regiments of Haradrim are said to have joined the Morgul-host at Osgiliath.J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, (2nd edition, 1966), p.90. At the same time, infantry from the city sally against "the legions of Morgul that were still gathered there in strength", or at least 2 legions and there arrives the Morgul-host reserves composed of forces from the Rhûn, Khand, Southrons, and Far Harad. from the south in Peter Jackson's adaptation of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.]] Additionally, north of the city near Cair Andros, another host of Orcs and Men out of the EastJ.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, (2nd edition, 1966), p. 159; J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, History of Middle-earth, Vol.VIII, (1990), p. 415, " The host of Orcs and Easterlings had turned back out of Anórien...". advancing from the MorannonJ.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, (2nd edition, 1966), p. 374, "An army from the Morannon takes Cair Andros and passes into Anórien.". cuts the road north to Rohan. This host of Mordor blocking the road to Minas Tirith is "very many, more than Horse-men (of Rohan)", according to Ghân-buri-Ghân. Further north, forces from Dol Guldur attack Thranduil and thrice assault Lórien, and Eastern Rohan is attacked from the northJ.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, (2nd edition, 1966), pp.374–376. by a force elsewhere described as an Orc-host,J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The History of Middle-earth, Vol. VIII, (1990), p.355; p. 361, "crossing of host to the Wold of Rohan..." later destroyed by the Ents,The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, p. 374; The History of Middle-earth, Vol. VIII, p. 361. a host of Easterlings attacks Dale in the far north. At least 5 distinct hosts from Mordor can be identified: 2 hosts of the Great Host at the Morannon; the Morgul-host (which later in the battle is called "hosts"J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King (2nd edition, 1966) p. 123 and therefore contains at least 2 hostsJ.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The History of Middle-earth, Vol. VIII, (1990), p.277, as a title this is: Hosts of the Morghul; again indicating more than one host.); the host near Cair Andros. According to Gandalf, Sauron used more than half his strength for the assault on Gondor.J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, Unfinished Tales, (1980), p.330.J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, (2nd edition, 1966), p. 154, "...the first great assault. The next will be greater." Gandalf indicates that the Great Host of the Morannon is larger than the Morgul-host and that the Morannon-host is intended for the assault on Gondor and included in the "more than half his strength" mentioned above. This leaves something less than that for the 4 forces elsewhere. 2 of these are distinctly identified as hosts: the Host of Easterling allies at Dale; the Orc-host invading East Rohan from the north while another host, at least, is implied by the attacks, 3 on Lórien and 1 on Thranduil, out of Dol Guldur. Taking a median total strength for any host of 40,000, a general minimum estimate for the 8 to 9 hosts (16 to 18 armies) of Sauron in the War of the Ring is therefore about 320,000–360,000. All arms, which includes the fleet and crews out of Umbar, would add somewhat to the total.J.R.R.Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, History of Middle-earth Vol. VIII, The War of the Ring, 1990, p. 263, "..Southron fleets come up the Great River and send a host into Lebennin..."; p.420, "...the fleets of Umbar, fifty great ships and many smaller vessels beyond count." '' in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.]] Saruman's Hosts during the War of the Ring can be shown to fall within the parameters of the above charts even though they are unusual in that it is where Tolkien uses the more modern terms of battalion and regiment for some smaller formations. In The Two Towers Merry states "... there must have been ten thousand at the very least.".J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, (2nd edition, 1966), p. 171 This number is later qualified by Gandalf: "I have about ten thousand Orcs to manage.",J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, (2nd edition, 1966), p.175; also J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, Unfinished Tales, (1980), p. 363 states: "... only Gandalf had full knowledge... ". that is to say at Helm's Deep, not including other members of Saruman's hosts: "troops on great wolves", "battalions of Men", "half-orcs". The chart above shows that a host can be composed of two armies or, an army and auxiliaries. The chart also shows that an army may be ten thousand strong. The above first hand eyewitness accounts from the characters are not the only sources of information on the hosts of Saruman. There is an historical essay style analysis of the two battles of the Fords of Isen in Unfinished Tales in which the compositions and organizations of Saruman's forces are further explained. While Grimbold of Rohan's command struggles with one army, " "He (Saruman's commander) was now in doubt. He awaited, maybe, some signal from the other army that had been sent down the east side of Isen." author's note".J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, Unfinished Tales, (1980), p. 366, note 12: Grimbold did not know that "a large army had already some hours passed southward" to Helm's Deep.J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, Unfinished Tales, (1980), p. 363 This army east of Isen is also stated to be "more than half of Saruman's force...". The east army also has auxiliaries of wolf riders, a large body that scatters Elfhelm's force on the east bank of Isen. An additional source is the book The War of the Ring in which Saruman's army west of Isen is joined by an auxiliary force of Dunlending Men that "came up from the land away west".J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, The War of the Ring, Houghton Mifflin, (1990), p.51. All these sources support Christopher Tolkien's descriptions of Saruman's overall strength as a "great host" J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, Unfinished Tales, (1980), p.365 and the east army as a "great army"J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, Unfinished Tales, (1980), p.366, note 14. and can account for J.R.R. Tolkien's description of Saruman's forces at the Battle of the Hornburg: " The hosts of Isengard roared..."J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, (2nd edition, 1966), p.147. as defined on the charts: host as an army with auxiliaries and a great host as two such hosts, therefore: one host of Saruman's army west of Isen with its allied Dunland Men from the west and another host of more than half his force composed of Saruman's great army east of Isen with wolf riders. The forces Saruman has at his disposal are unique in that they do not outnumber the forces opposed to them, unlike the usual war situations in Middle-earth in which the forces of darkness nearly always vastly outnumber the forces of light. Saruman's east army, which is more than half his strength, is estimated at ten thousand. With the west army and auxiliaries he originally had perhaps twenty thousand or so at Isengard and is later joined at the fords of Isen by some additional thousands of the Men of Dunland from the west.In the east army the Dunland contingent is described by Merry variously as "... whole regiments of men..." (J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor,The War of the Ring, Houghton Mifflin, (1990), p.51) and "... battalions of Men ..." (J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, (2nd edition, 1966), p. 171). Regiments, in military hierarchy, are composed of battalions. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, Unfinished Tales, (1980), p. 357, Tolkien mentions " ...some Dunlending horsemen... ". as well. The horsemen do not seem to be in very great numbers, however there are enough of them with a pack of wolfriders and two battalions of Uruks to defeat well over a thousand riders of Rohan. This twenty thousand is opposed to the overall strength of Rohan which it does not outnumber by much, if at all. Rohan's forces are also given as twenty thousand: ten thousand horsemen with spears, the Éoherë, or Horse army,Éoherë is explained as Anglo-Saxon with eoh meaning 'horse' and herë meaning 'host, army', p.315, J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, Unfinished Tales, (1980). It is also explained in this passage that: "... before the attacks of Saruman a Full Muster would probably have produced many more than twelve thousand riders ..." and another ten thousand foot and mounted infantry.J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor,The War of the Ring, Houghton Mifflin, (1990), p.249, Aragorn states there are nearly ten thousand "well horsed, fully armed" men and, "...as many again there are of men on foot or with ponies (etc) ..." or twenty thousand altogether. Saruman's main advantages are that he has seized the initiative with his concentrated force in attacks against piecemeal fractions. First, at the Fords of Isen, some thirty-five hundred Rohirrim are defeated and then Helm's Deep is stormed where the garrison is only two thousand strongK.W.Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth, Boston, Houghton Mifflin Co., 1981, ISBN 0-395-28665-4 p.132 and includes Théoden, the King of Rohan, while the rest of Rohan's strength is dispersed. After all the losses, Théoden says he would have sent ten thousand spears to aid Minas Tirith, but he cannot spare more than 6,000 from the defence of his own strongholds. As a clear example of how context should be considered, in the Tale of the Years, the force that Aragorn leads to the Gates of Mordor is called the "Host of the West" and it does not have the strength estimate found above in the charts. But, in this context, the word Host is used as a general description of a disparate group of warriors from different armies, for whom specific numbers have preceded the use of the word elsewhere in the book. Host of the West, as a title, indicates it is an encompassing phrase. In earlier chapters in The Return of the King, Tolkien consistently calls it an army initially, even having the character of Imrahil say ironically that, " ... this is the greatest jest in all the history of Gondor: that we should ride with seven thousands, scarce as many as the vanguard of its army in the days of its power...".J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, (2nd edition, 1966), p. 158. The seven thousands of the Host of the West are one thousand men of Rohan under Éomer, five hundred on horse, five hundred on foot and the five hundred knights of Dol Amroth with some Dúnedain; two thousand foot under Aragorn from Lebennin and the southern fiefs; and finally thirty-five hundred foot under Imrahil composed of the great companies of Minas Tirith.J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor,War of the Ring, p.415-416. The great companies of Minas Tirith probably include: at least three companies of the Tower of Guard;J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, (2nd edition, 1966), p. 40, Beregond is a member of the 'Third Company of the Citadel', implying at least 2 others and says he is a member of the 'Guard of the Tower of Gondor', later just called the 'Tower of Guard'. one or more companies of the Men of the City;J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, (2nd edition, 1966), p. 159, Beregond leads 'a company' of the Men of the City. The choice of 'a' as opposed to, say, 'the' implies more than one company. some two companies, or more, of archers from Ithilien, one from Henneth Annûn commanded by Mablung.J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, (2nd edition, 1966), p. 161, 162. The company of Henneth Annûn is stated to be 200-300 strong, The Two Towers, p. 271. Most of the some 500 archers left to guard the Cross Roads were Rangers of Ithilien, Return of the King, p. 161. See also * List of Middle-earth weapons * War of the Ring * War of Wrath * Tolkien's legendarium References Category:Middle-earth battles Category:Fictional military organizations Category:Fictional wars